Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
14:09
Tilt Testing with Combined Lower Body Negative Pressure: a "Gold Standard" for Measuring Orthostatic Tolerance
Published on: March 21, 2013
Basic medical advice for travelers to high altitudes
1Medizinische Universitätsklinik Heidelberg, Innere Medizin VII Sportmedizin. kai.schommer@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Deutsches Arzteblatt International
|January 13, 2012
Summary
High-altitude travel can cause illness due to rapid ascent and insufficient acclimatization. Medical advice is crucial for assessing risks and preventing serious conditions like acute mountain sickness (AMS), HACE, and HAPE.
Area of Science:
- Altitude sickness research
- Travel medicine
- Physiology
Background:
- High-altitude travel is increasingly popular for recreation.
- Increased travel necessitates awareness of altitude-related health risks.
- Prospective travelers often seek pre-trip medical consultations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review acclimatization to high altitude.
- To summarize high-altitude-related illnesses.
- To inform medical advice for travelers.
Main Methods:
- Literature search of Medline (1960-2010).
- Included original articles and reviews on altitude acclimatization and illnesses.
- Focused on acute mountain sickness (AMS), high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), and high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE).
Main Results:
- Illnesses stem from hypoxia/hypoxemia due to rapid ascent without adequate acclimatization.
- Individual susceptibility, recognized from past travel, is a key risk factor.
- At 4500m, 50% experienced AMS, 0.5-1% HACE, and 6% HAPE; pre-existing conditions exacerbate risks.
Conclusions:
- Understanding high-altitude physiology and illness pathophysiology is essential.
- Proper traveler counseling based on risk assessment prevents severe conditions.
- Knowledge facilitates informed medical advice for safe high-altitude expeditions.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Factors Affecting Respiration
Respiration is a crucial physiological function involving exchanging oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) between an organism and its environment. Various factors can impact this essential process:
01:26Requirements for Human Life
The Earth and its atmosphere have provided humans with air, water, and food, but these are not the only requirements for survival. Humans also require a specific range of temperature and pressure that the Earth and its atmosphere provides.
Oxygen
Atmospheric air is only about 20 percent oxygen, but that oxygen is a key component of the chemical reactions that keep the body alive, including the reactions that produce ATP. Brain cells are susceptible to a lack of oxygen because they require a...
Oxygen
Atmospheric air is only about 20 percent oxygen, but that oxygen is a key component of the chemical reactions that keep the body alive, including the reactions that produce ATP. Brain cells are susceptible to a lack of oxygen because they require a...
01:28Special considerations while measuring blood pressure
When assessing blood pressure (BP), healthcare professionals must consider various factors and potential unexpected outcomes to ensure accurate readings and provide proper patient care. Adhering to these guidelines is essential to achieving the most reliable results.
Monitoring Both Arms:
Monitoring BP in both arms during the initial assessment is advisable, as the systolic value may differ by five to ten mm Hg between arms. For subsequent BP assessments, use the arm with the higher reading.
Monitoring Both Arms:
Monitoring BP in both arms during the initial assessment is advisable, as the systolic value may differ by five to ten mm Hg between arms. For subsequent BP assessments, use the arm with the higher reading.
01:22Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies
Additional therapies for treating patients with heart failure (HF) may include procedural interventions, supplemental oxygen, the management of sleep disorders, and nutritional therapy.Procedural InterventionsImplantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator: For patients at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias due to severe left ventricular dysfunction, an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) can detect and terminate these arrhythmias, preventing sudden cardiac death and improving survival rates.
01:28Hypertension IV: Drug Therapy and Lifestyle Modifications
Multiple classes of antihypertensive medications are employed in treating hypertension. The most commonly recommended first-line treatments include:Thiazide Diuretics, such as chlorthalidone, increase sodium and water excretion from the body, reducing blood volume and blood pressure.Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, like lisinopril, block the conversion of angiotensin I to II, a potent vasoconstrictor lowering blood pressure.Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs) prevent angiotensin II...
01:30Alterations in Blood Pressure
Alterations in blood pressure, such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and hypotension (low blood pressure), significantly affect human health. Understanding these conditions' classifications, causes, and symptoms is essential for effective management and treatment.
Hypertension (High blood pressure)
Hypertension occurs when blood pressure readings consistently exceed the normal range. It is diagnosed when systolic blood pressure (the top number, indicating pressure while the heart beats)...
Hypertension (High blood pressure)
Hypertension occurs when blood pressure readings consistently exceed the normal range. It is diagnosed when systolic blood pressure (the top number, indicating pressure while the heart beats)...